What a dumb mistake. Does anybody have any idea of how long this a/c is out of service and how much $$'s this will cost UA? I hope it's back in service in a day or two (which I suspect) and they bill the airport management for the costs. As suggested above, perhaps this will end the water salutes for retiring pilots at UA. With today's tight airline budgets and time problems, any little thing like this may have to end, especially if any unexpected costs may be incurred.

The trainee driver of the fire track, Mr John Leahy, who specifically asked to drive the truck for the event, commented: "I don't know what happened. This morning was my first day and I clearly confused the "water" and "foam, warning: under no circumstances this should be on when saluting a plane; to active, press the button three times, hold it for 5 secs, and type your password in the adjacent keypad" switches. I do apologize.

Quoting SNATH (Reply 6):The trainee driver of the fire track, Mr John Leahy, who specifically asked to drive the truck for the event, commented: "I don't know what happened. This morning was my first day and I clearly confused the "water" and "foam, warning: under no circumstances this should be on when saluting a plane; to active, press the button three times, hold it for 5 secs, and type your password in the adjacent keypad" switches. I do apologize.

Uh, huh..John Leahy was sriving the truck that shot the foam...I guess that Airbus has found a new way to stop 777s from flying!! Just kidding!!

Quoting Jfk777 (Reply 4):A P&W 4077 777 deserves to be retired. To power such a mighty airplane with such an awful engine is an insult to the plane. P&W 4090 777 are the ones they should have at UA and only 4090's.

Chillax! the PW4077 is a great engine for UA because on the standard 777-200A's that do flights such as MUC-IADFRA-IAD etc. and a maximum of SFO-NRT their MTOW is much lower anyways meaning the weights lifted are not requiring the same power as from the PW4090 like the 777-200ER's.

BTW PW4077 is a very light engine and has proven itself very good with UA.

Quoting LTBEWR (Reply 5):Does anybody have any idea of how long this a/c is out of service and how much $$'s this will cost UA? I hope it's back in service in a day or two (which I suspect) and they bill the airport management for the costs.

There's no doubt that UAL will be sending someone else the bill for this snafu.

Several years ago a similar event happened to a Delta 777 in Atlanta where the captain was retiring. As the aircraft taxied in, the fire trucks sprayed an arch of water over the airplane and the plane hit one the trucks with a wing tip.

Quoting SNATH (Reply 6):The trainee driver of the fire track, Mr John Leahy, who specifically asked to drive the truck for the event, commented: "I don't know what happened. This morning was my first day and I clearly confused the "water" and "foam, warning: under no circumstances this should be on when saluting a plane; to active, press the button three times, hold it for 5 secs, and type your password in the adjacent keypad" switches. I do apologize.

That's hilarious. Interesting to see what the driver will do when an LH 748 lands at IAD in a few years..lol

Quoting LMP737 (Reply 16):There's no doubt that UAL will be sending someone else the bill for this snafu

I doubt it. An Airline has to request a water cannon salute from the FD. Therefore, as in this situation, the Airline must bare the consequences if it goes bad. If the taxpayer is required to pick up the tab, I am sure these type of salutes would be unfortunately stopped pretty fast.

25 FlyDreamliner
: His mission is to stop the 777 at any cost.... since he can't do it by outselling it, he has to sabotage them.... one at a time. Probably drive the f

26 RoseFlyer
: I think you are being insultive. The engine was the first engine of anywhere near the power in a commercial application. It was a revolutionary engin

27 C680
: Unless they requested water and got foam. Then UA has a pretty good case.

28 LHRspotter
: "According to Flight sister product ACAS, the aircraft was delivered new to United toward the end of 1994. No damage has been reported in the aircraft

29 PlaneHunter
: N772UA was delivered in September 1995. The first ever B777 delivery took place in May 1995, so it's a bit amateurish that they talk about "toward th

30 RP TPA
: I disagree. I'm sure some people at United will be doing plenty of saluting. The one-fingered kind.